Weather News

Temperatures to Resemble Spring in Second Week of April

Despite cold air plunging across the eastern half of the U.S. during the first few days of April, there are signs that spring will get the upper hand over winter in the not too distant future.

The atmospheric roadblock that has kept the door open for cold air to drain southward from Canada--as is currently the case--should finally erode by mid-April.

As the door shuts on the cold air, another will open for a prolonged spell of mild temperatures east of the Mississippi River.

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AccuWeather.com Climate Change Blog

Meteorologist Mark Paquette, a member of the AccuWeather.com Long Range Forecasting Team, expects that spell to commence after this upcoming weekend (April 6-7) and last seven to ten days.

Residents will finally get to enjoy activities outdoors without having to bundle up, but those in the Midwest and Northeast should not break out the shorts and swimsuits just yet.

"While there could be a couple of these days, I do not see a prolonged stretch where high temperatures rise 10 degrees above normal each day," stated Paquette.

Residents of the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Northeast should also hold off putting away your late winter/early spring jackets and apparel. Paquette anticipates that the mild air will not hold through all of spring.

"At the end of April and early May, watch for another change in the weather pattern to bring a cloudy, cool and dreary spell."

Unlike last year's warm spring, the cold air this spring is definitely not giving up without a fight.

Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski points out that a warm versus cold battle zone is likely to set up this weekend into next week from the Great Lakes to the Northeast.

"Areas south and west of a frontal zone will warm into the 70s, while areas to the north and east could hover in the 30s and 40s on multiple days," Sosnowski said.

The front could set up near the U.S./Canada border or could set up near or south of the Mason-Dixon line he added.